CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — A fresh push to turn coffee farming into a stronger source of livelihood is taking root in Oriental Mindoro after the Department of Agriculture (DA) MIMAROPA distributed 20,000 Liberica coffee seedlings worth ₱600,000 to three farmers’ organizations in the province.
The distribution, conducted through the DA’s High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), is designed to help farmers and Indigenous Peoples develop additional income opportunities while strengthening local coffee production.
The seedlings were divided among three groups: 5,000 went to the Mahabang Parang Farmers Association, another 5,000 to the Samahang Ligtas sa Kabukiran sa Tribong Alangan Patungo sa Kaunlaran ng Kape at Ibang Pagkakakitaan, and 10,000 to the Bulalacao Coffee Farmers Association.
For the recipient farmers, however, the distribution is only the beginning.
DA-Oriental Mindoro Assistant Provincial Coordinator Arjay Burgos stressed that the long-term value of the assistance will depend on the farmers’ ability to properly plant, maintain and eventually turn the seedlings into productive coffee trees.
The initiative follows the directive of DA MIMAROPA Regional Executive Director Atty. Christopher R. Bañas to intensify the production of high-value crops in the region. The agency said the program is intended not only to provide alternative livelihood opportunities but also to help expand the local coffee industry.
Why Liberica matters
The choice of Liberica coffee is significant for Oriental Mindoro, where coffee production already forms part of the province’s agricultural landscape.
Philippine Statistics Authority data show that Oriental Mindoro had 225 hectares planted to coffee in 2021, 2022 and 2023, including 51 hectares of Liberica, alongside Arabica, Excelsa and Robusta.
PSA data also indicate that coffee production in Oriental Mindoro was growing in 2023. Liberica production increased by 104.24% from the previous year, while Robusta production rose by 72.81% and Excelsa by 66.77%, with the PSA attributing the increases partly to stronger demand for coffee products in establishments across the province.
That backdrop gives the latest seedling distribution a broader significance: the government is not simply handing farmers planting materials, but attempting to build up the province’s capacity to produce more coffee over the longer term.
More than planting: the market will matter
The biggest challenge will come after the seedlings are planted.
Earlier this year, Oriental Mindoro launched a ₱33.5-million Trading and Consolidation Facility designed to help farmers consolidate produce, access trading and distribution services and connect more directly with buyers. The project is intended to address logistical problems that can contribute to low farmgate prices.
The province has also been strengthening market connections through farmer-buyer activities. A February 2026 Market Linkage Caravan brought farmers, cooperatives, agricultural personnel and institutional buyers together to explore direct supply arrangements and reduce farmers’ dependence on intermediaries.
These initiatives are important because producing more coffee does not automatically guarantee higher farmer incomes. Farmers also need access to buyers, processing facilities, technical assistance and reliable markets.
The DA itself has emphasized the need to make agricultural production more profitable and market-oriented. Its MIMAROPA office identifies the High Value Crops Development Program as one of its major programs for promoting the production, processing, marketing and distribution of high-value crops.
A ₱600,000 investment with a longer horizon
The ₱600,000 value of the seedlings represents the immediate government assistance, but the real economic potential lies in what happens after the 20,000 seedlings leave the distribution sites.
If properly established and maintained, the seedlings could eventually expand the province’s coffee-growing base and provide farmers with another agricultural commodity from which to earn.
But officials have also made clear that success will not happen overnight.
For the three recipient organizations, the immediate task is to ensure that the seedlings survive, grow and are properly distributed among their members. From there, the bigger challenge will be turning coffee trees into a sustainable farm enterprise.
For Oriental Mindoro, the question now is no longer simply how many coffee seedlings can be planted.
It is whether those 20,000 seedlings can eventually grow into a stronger coffee industry—and a more dependable source of income for the farmers who received them.
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